Blue Hill Man Sentenced in Federal Court for False Statement During Firearm Purchase

Feb 19
2 min read

February 17, 2026 — by Scanner Alerts MediaBangor, Maine

A Blue Hill man was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Bangor after authorities said he made a false statement while attempting to purchase a firearm from a federally licensed dealer.

Key Points

Sentencing date: Tuesday, February 17, 2026
Court location: U.S. District Court in Bangor
Defendant: Caleb Rhine, 22, of Blue Hill
Sentence: 12 months and one day in prison; 3 years of supervised release
Allegation: Authorities said he falsely answered a question on ATF Form 4473 during a firearm purchase attempt
Investigating agencies: ATF and the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office

Incident Overview

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine said Caleb Rhine was sentenced for making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm.

U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Rhine to 12 months and one day in prison and three years of supervised release, according to the release.

Timeline Cited by Authorities

According to court records referenced in the release, Rhine was indicted on June 8, 2023 in Hancock County Superior Court on one count of aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs.

The release states that on May 5, 2024, while still under indictment, Rhine attempted to purchase a firearm from a federally licensed firearms dealer in Ellsworth. Authorities said he completed an ATF Form 4473 and falsely checked “No” in response to a question asking whether he was under indictment or information in any court for a felony or other crime punishable by more than one year in prison.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office said Rhine was able to buy the gun a few days later based, in part, on the representations made on the ATF form.

Investigation

The release states the case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office.